making up for lost time

Now that our internet is FINALLY working again, I have an enormous backlog of pictures to upload (and work to do...).

For instance, when I realized that my family is coming to visit this weekend and I still hadn't blogged about our visit there a couple weeks ago...well, I was grateful the tech support man had done his stuff today.

Why all the frequent family visits, you ask? Well, for one thing, it's super fun. For another, my sisters are heading (back) to BYU. Ruth (four years younger than me) and her husband are already there--she's a junior in the accounting program (#2 program in the country! Go Ruth!). Mary Beth, who is two years younger than me, is starting law school at J. Reuben Clark this fall. Yay Mary Beth! And Elise, who is seven years younger than me, is starting her freshman year at BYU. Hurrah Elise!

One thing my parents must be very grateful for is the intelligence of their children. It's always on display.



Like I was saying.

Anyway, we had a lot of fun. Juliet and Abigail got squeezed and loved to their heart's content. It was nice for them to have someone pay them attention. At home, we just throw some food in their general direction.


I think one of the most adorable sights in the entire world is a little baby in a sleeper. Especially one who has just been presented with her very own box of Goldfish crackers. It just doesn't get any better than that.




Surprisingly, Jules loved the sand...

...and Abigail has finally come to like sand. It took a good three years. This was the first time she's actually deigned to sit on it (she still won't go near the water, but it was pretty cold, so I can't really blame her).

One of my favorite things about any visit with my family is the food. When you hear "cookout," you think hot dogs, right?

Try marinated steak grilled over the fire, encased in a crunchy baguette smothered in Brie, and topped with mushrooms fried in butter. You really can't improve on that formula.

Although adding baked Parmesan-topped zucchini, fresh watermelon, plums, and peaches, plus a side of molasses-swirled baked beans does help.

Right now Juliet's really into that "Where's the baby?" game. She LOVES it. Hours of time could go by before she'd tire of it.

Love that kid!